Rear alighting gear



Nom 15, 1927.

E. IH. VN VALKENBERG REAR ALIGHTING GEAR Filed Oct. 23, 1926 @Home/IJ t@ rms van vanxanrano, or mcnnnsronn rnnnsrhvan'm; .Assmann or onu-mar 'ro oscar. srrvansrnm, or eren, wasnmeron.

naar amenant@ enen.

appiieancn nea october as, ieee. smal au. leases.: l yf l My present invention relates to an irnproved rear alighting gear or tail skid for use as an accessor on 'yin machines, and adapted to provi' e a hexib e device at the rear end et the machine for absorbing excessive shocks occasioned when the 4machine is landed.

The alighting gear is 'also adapted for use as a swivelled tail skid on the ground to suplll port the tail ot the dying machine, thus eliminating necessit for lifting the tail ot the'niachine when t e latter is being shifted from one position, to another.

The invention contemplates the use-mt a l@ ldexible alighting gear including a skid runner located low the tail ot the aeroplane and having a swivelled support within the body or fuselage of the machine. together with shock labsorbing means for the alighting gear, as will be hereinafter more iully pointed out and claimed. lin'f he accompanying drawings, l have illustrated one complete example of ythe hysical embodiment of my machine whereil@ in the parts are combined and arranged accordin to the hest mode I have thus atar devise for the practical application of the principles et my invention.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation at the d@ rear ot a dying machine equippedwith the alighting gear ot my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view at the rear end and longitudinally of the body ol the machine, showing the appli- 35 ance; and f Fig. 3' is a top plan view of the ap liance and showing also the` body of the mac ine in horizontal section. v

ln Figure 1, l have illustrated the tail port@ tion oit' .an aeroplane or dying machineand indicated several of the parts thereof such as 1 `tor the fuselage or body, 2 the vertical rotor, 3 an elevator, and 4 the control cables. The dying machine may be equipped with '4l any suitable typeof landing gear or running gear at its forward end, and the rear alightm gear of my invention is designed for use v'withthe front or forward landing gear or m mi gear, especially when the'tail of the machine contacts by excessive friction withV the ound in landing the machine.

rll`he alighting gear includes a swivelled post-f5 arranged infvertical position at the orgitudinal center ofthe fusela e or body,

@l an adjacent to the rear end of e machine.

'ters t 4skid or runner. If the load is excessive, the

This swivelled post supports ka skid or runner 6 which is pivoted at'7: to the lower end of the post exterior of fand'belovv the body of the machine. 'lhe skid or runner 6 is provided with an angular .arm 8 which errtends upwardly through auarcuate slot 9 in the bottom ci the body ofthe'machine and Within the body of the machine, is located substantially parallel with the swivelled post.

'lhe vpost is swivelled in a tubular bearing l() which is fashioned with an exterior attaching tlange .11 bolted or otherwise secured to the fuselage. The upper end ot the tubular bearing is perforated to accoodate a stud bolt 12on the end of the post 5, and a nut 12 is used to retain the. ost in its tubu-L lar bearing or housing 10. t will be understood that the-swivelled post 5 may turn on its axis in. the tubular bearing 10, and the arm 8 and skid runner 64 swing with the swivelled post.

'lhe tubular bearing 10 is provided with a brace ring 13 which encircles it, and a number of braces 1l are connected at suitable points toV this ring and radiate to and are rigidlyconnected with parts of the fuselage, tor the purpose ot malntaining the tubular bearing in stable position.

On the tubular bearing 10 a pulley 15 is journaled above the brace ringi3, and a retaining collar 16 is secured on the tubular bearing above the pulley. A complementary pulley 17 is -journaled near the upper end ot the arm 8 adjacent to the pulley 15. A fixed collar 18 below the pul e 17 and a threaded collar 19 above the pul ey hold the pulley 17 in position to rotate on the arm 8.. Around these two pulleys a cable (or cables) 20 is wound or warped to provide a resilient shock absorbing device.

lt will be apparent that when the machine is aliglhting and the skid or runner 6 encoun-v e ground surface, the weight of the tail end of t e machine will be supported by the im weight im osed at the pivot point 7 will tend to swin t e arm 8 away from the swvelledy post. limited swinging movement is permitted, and this movement is taken up Lby the cable 20 in coaction with the two pulley wheels 15 and 17.

When the machine isnon the ground and the skid 'or runner 6 is supporting the tail end., it will bevapparent that the tall end of the machine may be swung to right or left and il@ the swivelled skid or runner with its arm 8 may .bensed as a support. As the tail end of the machine is swung, the arm 8 will travel toward either end of the arcuate slot 9 in the bottom of the bod of the machine, and in this manner the mac ine may be shifted with facility whilezon the ground, withoutneceasity for lifting its tail end.

Havin thus fully described my invention, what I c aim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is A 1. In an alighting gear for flying machines the combination with a tubular bearing head and a post swivelled therein, of -a skid pivoted at the lower end of the post, an arm rigid with the skidand extending u in proximity to said post, avpulley on the arjournaled on the tubular head and a complementary ulley journaled on said arm, and in shock a sorbing cable encircling said puleys.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EIER HARLEY VAN VALKENBERG. 

